Customer Reviews

The Woman's Guide to Law School

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book's value far exceeds its cost. Hirshman leads the reader from the "considering law school" stages, through the application process, up to post-law school interviews meanwhile focusing her advice specifically to the interests of women. Based on her own research, Hirshman gives women their own Law School Rankings that compares the schools in terms of their female-friendly learning environments. While searching for schools to apply to, I never would have considered the % of writers who are women in the school's Law Review as a factor, but Hirschman explains why that factor and several others are so important for a productive and successful learning environment for women in Law Schools. By introducing women to ways in which their learning style typically differs from men, Hirshman's book brings a truly valuable awareness to any woman who intends to pursue the competitive study of law. I think every woman considering law school should read this. It is academic and insightful, not full of common sense as most books of this type tend to be.

I got this book as a gift from a friend after I had started at a top law school that, according to this author, is not particularly female-friendly. I would never have bought this book on my own because I've never really thought I needed "special" advice as a woman, and I did fine in school. But I am very, very glad my friend gave it to me, and I wish I had read it before starting school.

I found that the book offered a lot of interesting insights. You may agree or disagree with Hirshman's ideas and arguments, but the fact remains that the law school experience for many women (NOT all women) is different because they are women. And Hirshman does give some good, down-to-earth advice about the true nature of the competitive dynamics in law schools, and frankly, a lot of women have more difficulty understanding and thriving in that context. (But don't worry, I realize it's not all women!)

As for those people who rated this book poorly because they disagree with Hirshman -- I myself disagree with some of her assessments. BUT no one says you have to agree with everything an author says, or that a book is only valuable if you agree with it. You're considering law school, after all, and you want to evaluate things critically and think for yourself. Moreover, just because Hirshman is right about some of the more "women-unfriendly" aspects of law school (and she is) doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't change things. But to change them, you have to understand how things are to begin with. And there are few books that tackle head-on the very real gender dynamics in law schools. Most people ignore them, but they're there. (For instance, in a faculty survey done by the women's organization at my law school, a number of male law professors admitted that they were much more hesitant to develop mentoring relationships with young female students to avoid any awkwardness or suggestion of impropriety. Other professors, male and female, talked about how women did not speak up enough in class.)

So I'd strongly recommend reading this book for women who are considering going or are about to attend law school. Read it before you go because first year is really important, usually the most important year in terms of success in law school.

But DON'T take Hirshman's ideas as a prediction of how your law school experience will be. (For instance, even if I'd read her book before school, I would have chosen to attend the law school I did -- even though it's not a women-friendly place, that wouldn't have stopped me from going to a strong law school and having a good experience there.) Rather, take the book as a series of insights into how a law school experience can be, and incorporate that information into making your experience a positive and successful one.

This book offered me the insight and advice that I bought it for. Hirshman essentially breaks down the psychology behind a first year's law school experience and how, as a woman, you can win at this. She doesn't get too hung up on feminist garble (which I was afraid of) but instead makes you realize what to look for, what to take advantage of and how to empower yourself. I admit that I was a hard-sell on the "femscore" ratings for various law schools, but in the text she makes great points about how much that atmosphere of a law school can affect your success as a female student. I've even already began looking at the faculty makeup of my prospective law schools and how many women teach the first year courses.

I didn't give this book 5 stars because the sometimes heavy attention she gives to those "femi" ratings and the reliance she places on questions to ask your law school. Just because they may have more men than women as tenured faculty does NOT mean that they are un-female friendly. Plus, I would hate for any woman to use her ratings SOLELY to determine where to go to school. Perhaps if more women weren't scared away from going to male dominant schools...then there would be less male dominant schools. I guess I believe that if you get too carried away in this material, you become less proactive as a woman entering a male dominated feel. But if you approach the book another way, it will yield a lot of great and useful information when you are about to set out for law school. I'm not there yet, so still have to put Hirshman's advice to the test!

If I had a child ( daughter OR SON ) who was thinking of going to Law School I would insist that they not only read this wonderful book, but convince me that they really understood what it has to say. Law school is a serious and costly undertaking to the family and/or freight-payer as well as to the student, male or female. Professor Hirshman thoroughly and in an amusing manner lays out all one needs to know when contemplating this endeavor. Don't leave home without it!

I purchased this book before I started law school as a primer to help give me an idea of what to expect. I found the book to be honest and helpful as an incoming student. I think the book would have been more helpful if I hadn't chosen a school already, but the advice in the book is good for any school. I can tell you law school is stressful and time consuming. I found a lot of my female friends shocked by the competitive environment which is something this book can help you prepare for. Overall, it was very helpful and insightful.

I only got through the first few chapters of the book before I was so OFFENDED I had to stop. The author clearly believes she is speaking to an immature and unintelligent audience. This is what cinched it for me:"At lower status law schools, the students of both genders are often the first generation of their families to get a higher education, and even a modest middle-class life seems good to them" (14). Why beat up your readers, Hirshman? I happen to be a first generation law student who is very displeased with the attitude of the book. I do not reccomend this for anyone.

This book explains how to choose a law school if you are a feminist who wants to go where no one will challenge your views. Hirshman seems to believe that feminist principles will crumble if exposed to any criticism, so she encourages people to choose schools that have lots of feminists, do not have any conservatives (and preferably not many men), and that will never question feminist beliefs. The problem is, lots of people say that the purpose of law school is to have your ideas challenged, and to face and overcome those challenges. Will Hirshman's approach train feminsists who like law school, but aren't very good lawyers?